Recently Council installed a new speed hump in Centennial Avenue between the two existing humps that are also pedestrian crossings. The existing humps are 25kph. The new hump is a 15kph which is quite steep. There has been a number of complaints regarding the new hump. We have asked Council to justify their actions in regard to this matter.

Clr. Saville has advised that Council has engaged a consultant to review the traffic impacts of the Mowbray Road / Beaconsfield traffic signals and also to review the traffic study prepared for Lane Cove Council dealing with traffic impacts of the rezoning activity on the Lane Cove side of Mowbray Road. The consultants review will be completed in mid to late March 2014 after which it is proposed to report to Council on recommended measures. Following that it is likely that we would be consulting widely with the community in regard to a package of works on Mowbray Road and adjoining side streets.

Purpose of Report
To provide Council with an update on the status of the Wurlitzer Organ.

Background
Since the handover of The Concourse in July 2011, Councils appointed Contractor Pipe Organ Restorations (POR) have been carrying-out the refurbishment and reinstallation of the Wurlitzer organ that was decommissioned and removed from the Civic Centre prior to its demolition in January 2009. Mr John Andrews of organ consultancy Tonal Resources was appointed in 2006 to project manage all aspects of refurbishment and reinstallation of the organ on Councils behalf.

In November 2012 it was reported to The Corporate and Transport Committee that Mr Mark Fisher from (POR) was having difficulties completing his contract owing to his ill health. Due to an apparent lack of suitably qualified and experienced contractors in the field of organ restoration Council responded to the advice of Mr John Andrews (TR) and opted to utilise the services of Tonal Resources to assist with completing the installation of the instrument.

As previously reported, there is $22,000 remaining within the budget to complete this project. In accordance with the recommendations of the previous report this amount was retained as security until the installation reached Practical Completion.

Current Situation
Council has recently been advised by Mr Fisher from POR that due to his deteriorating health he is unable to continue working on the installation of the instrument and has abdicated his involvement in the project.
Upon receipt of the advice from Mr Fisher, Mr Andrews (TR) was requested to provide an update on the current status of the installation, costs to completion and advice in relation to options that may be available to Council to bring the project to completion.

Mr Andrews has advised that he is able to second specialist staff from Brisbane, which would be able to complete the project within six months. In addition, he advised that the costs to bring the project to completion are in the order of $97,840.

This figure is reflective of the time that has elapsed since the work was initially priced by POR in 2007, the cost of employing additional labour and the possibility that the initial tender was priced to meet the projects budget allocation and enable the organ to be maintained as a community asset; a notion that has been suggested by Mr Andrews.

Discussion
Whilst the previous advice in relation to the lack of skilled labour within the organ restoration field is acknowledged, it would be prudent to publicly advertised seeking quotations in accordance with Council policy for works of this value. In addition, this course of action to avoid any conflict of interest involving Mr Andrews in his current position as Councils
consultant.

A call for tender would require the development of a scope of works, which Mr Andrews is best placed to provide. This would also provide a continuation of project knowledge, in addition to providing an accurate basis for proponents to price the works.

Conclusion
Due to ill health the incumbent contractor is unable to progress the reinstallation of the Wurlitzer organ into the Concert Hall within The Concourse. Councils Consultant Mr John Andrews has advised that the costs to bring the project to completion are in the order of $97,840. Given the value of the works and would avoid a potential conflict of interest, it is advised that Council should publicly advertise the remaining works.

OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION
That:
1. Council’s consultant Tonal Resources prepare a scope of works documenting the requirements to bring the project to completion.
2. Council publicly advertise for contractors to complete the installation of the Wurlitzer organ within the Concert Hall at The Concourse.
3. A further report be brought back to Council advising as to the outcome of the tender process.

‘Relic’ is the centrepiece of a new, elevated public park created by Mirvac as part of its 44-storey, $750 million Era residential development in the heart of the Chatswood CBD.

The sculpture was put in place by crane last November and shrouded in canvas until this week. After the fire, Relic was finished in the sculpture workshop at the Australian National University School of Art. It is made from corten steel with bronze elements and salvaged industry objects within its abdomen.

At long last the empty hole between The Concourse and Chatswood Chase is being developed. This is the old carpark site next to the old library. The development known as Civic Place will provide service apartments that can be used by visitors to Chatswood including patron of The Concourse.

Most importantly, the development should contain’breakout’ style conference that can be hired in conjunction with functions at the Civic Pavillion.

Council’s CBD Urban Plan Review is to be undertaken early this year and is expected to take place in the form of a workshop. He expressed concern that if the Minster for Planning’s, Brad Hazzard’s, planning laws are adopted this and similar meetings may represent the only opportunity for consultation that the community will have.

It appears that Council staff will offer a single integrated plan to the Councillors at the workshop,and only after the Councillors and staff review and agree the plan, the crystallised plan will be displayed for community response.

Consequently he considers that members of the community, either through their PAs or delegates to the Federation, should be represented at the workshops either as participants or observers.

It was agreed that all Associations should be notified and that he would email Councillors seeking their support for our attendance. “Willoughby,the City of Diversity,should present a broad spectrum of early concept plans for exploration of community preferences, before choosing and prioritising the functions, locations, and change timing , and the infrastructure support to be provided. “

” The evolution procedure for the Concourse design should serve as a prototype, one whose strengths and weaknesses are deeply understood by Council staff; and which can benefit from their team experience in marshalling community visions and objectives.”

Permitting Spot Development will reverse the objectives of planning.

A former CEO of the Urban TaskForce(\who was incidentally a former Chief-of-Staff to Joe Tripodi) advised a State Parliament C\ommittee that it was essential to retain developers’ rights of appeal at all stages throughout consideration of a developer’s application for a spot re-zoning. He claimed that many developers relied on acquiring cheap land whose price was reduced by adverse community pressure through the Local Environment Plan (LEP), Developers would use spot re-zoning to dramatically increase the unimproved value of the site and obtain a far greater mortgage with which to fund construction. The consequence is that high density developments will mostly occur in localities which the community LEP view regards as much better used for a different function, rather than in the precincts planned for them.

This reverses the objective of plans without any adjustment to provision of infrastructure such as roads, parking, utilities, and services such as schools and hospitals. Mirvac, Meriton, and Metro are building residential skyscrapers where community-approved plans had specified much smaller commercial towers, reducing the ongoing job opportunities essential for balance with other low-job locations in the larger Metro Plan.The essence of a community plan is that the whole area and its functions are considered at the one time, to enable more efficient installation and operation of services; and that necessary healthy diversity of land use ks achieved. The market forces that decide in favour of spot re-zoning place cost penalties on other neighbours that emerge as higher charges and more insidiously as losses of sunlight, quietness, and health.

Certificates of “Variation” proposed in the new state planning legislation are only relevant and hurtful when they annul the local environmental plan constraints. They become Certificates licencing Violation, and leave neighbors traumatised by the deterioration of their refuge and principal investment, long after the developer has decamped to seize opportunities elsewhere.